


Safe

by Alyoops



Category: Riverdale (TV 2017)
Genre: F/F, Not Canon Compliant, Post-Episode 1x07, We'll pretend the bughead kiss never happened
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-10
Updated: 2017-03-10
Packaged: 2018-10-02 08:48:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,842
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10213898
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Alyoops/pseuds/Alyoops
Summary: Betty should be worrying about Polly as she settles in, but all she can think about is Veronica.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Kinda from a tumblr prompt, but taken with great liberty.
> 
> un-beta'd. all mistakes are mine

Polly was safe. 

Betty kept reminding herself of that. They had been able to sneak her into the Lodge’s home, without anyone knowing, except their small group. Betty wasn’t sure if she fully trusted Cheryl yet, but she seemed sincere in wanting to help Polly’s baby, and by proxy Polly. The look on Cheryl’s face when she walked into Pop’s… Cheryl was a lot of things, but she wasn’t a  _ complete _ monster. She was just glad Polly was safe and (relatively) happy. 

Betty was itching to talk to Polly again, now that they had a chance to relax, and without the fear of being found. She didn’t know what they could talk about though. At least, no topics that wouldn’t cause Polly further grief, like their mom, or Jason. Any time she tried to come up with something, a certain raven-haired individual popped into her mind. She had been thinking about her quite a bit lately, even though they hadn’t had a chance to hang out all too much. Maybe because of that reason? Betty guessed the time apart, had made her wistful for the brown-eyed beauty. The way she could relax Betty just by listening, her smile that made Betty feel warmth in her chest, her-

“You ok, Betts?”

Betty startled out of her reverie. She hadn’t realized she had spaced out there, until Veronica interrupted her from her thoughts. Veronica’s brows were furrowed, giving a look of concern at Betty. 

“Huh? Y-yeah. Sorry, it’s just been a long day,” she stuttered out.

She glanced over to Polly, who had been settling into her new room, to see her also giving Betty a worried look. Betty felt the suffocating amount of attention on her, so she did what she always did: she redirected.

“Thanks again, for helping out, Ronnie. I really appreciate it.” It was an understatement if there ever was any. It meant the  _ world _ to Betty. When Veronica had offered her house to hide Polly, without even a moment’s hesitation, it took all Betty had to not kiss her right then and there. That would have been a mistake. Or it wouldn’t have… she was still torn on her preference.

“Yeah, thank you so much, Veronica,” Polly said. 

Veronica waved off the gratitude.

“It’s really no trouble,” she said, as if she wasn’t helping an escapee, and possible murder suspect, hide from the authorities. “I’m just glad to help out my best friend.”

Veronica beamed a smile towards Betty and she melted. She couldn’t help but to gaze into Veronica’s eyes, a smile to match Veronica’s own, forming on her face. She could get lost in her eyes for days. When she looked at Veronica, the pressure of the world around her dropped. She didn’t worry about being perfect, about not upsetting her mom. Didn’t have to worry about school, or about keeping the darkness at bay. No murder investigation, or Cheryl and her family, or how Polly-

Polly! Betty forgot that they weren’t exactly alone in the room, and when she glanced back to her sister, she found Polly with her head tilted and an eyebrow raised.

Veronica seemed to notice as well, and cleared her throat to break the silence.

“I’ll just go find some more pillows for you, Polly. I’m sure you and Betty want to properly catch up anyway.”

She gave them both one last smile, before leaving the room. Betty couldn’t help but watch her leave, her eyes focusing on her swaying hips. She turned back to Polly staring at her, eyes widening in realization.

“What?” Betty asked.

“Nothing. I just… didn’t realize.” Polly gave her a knowing smirk. “I guess a lot has changed in the months that I’ve been gone.”

Betty laughed nervously. 

“I don’t know what you mean.”

“Betty…” Polly was having none of it. “I’m your sister, you don’t think I can tell when you’re smitten with someone? I’ve never even see you look at  _ Archie _ like you look at her.” She shuffled over to Betty and placed a hand on her shoulder. “I love you know matter what, you don’t have to be scared to tell me anything.”

The younger Cooper’s eyes drifted down. “I wouldn’t use the word ‘smitten’ exactly,” she mumbled.

Polly just laughed and pulled her into a hug, and Betty gladly accepted. With everything going on in this town, she had missed this. The nagging voice in the back of her mind reminded her that there was still a lot to deal with, but it was dulled for now.

Polly pulled back to look at Betty, and gave her a warm smile. 

“Perhaps, Veronica will need some help getting those pillows? I could use a lot of them.”

Betty laughed and nodded. There would be plenty of time for her and Polly to really chat. With another quick hug and thanks, she went to search for the Lodge girl.

She found Veronica going through one of the linen closets. Betty stopped and admired how beautiful she looked in the moonlight, as it cascaded through one of the hallway windows. The hallway lights were off, so that Veronica was highlighted by the the moon’s beams.

“Hey,” Betty said softly, so as not to startle her.

Veronica turned around quickly, her face breaking into a grin at the sight of Betty.

“Hey,” she said, voice equally as soft.

“I just wanted to say again, thanks for doing this. You have no idea what it means to me. I know your family isn’t exactly on solid footing, and taking in a wanted person probably isn’t the best of ideas in that regard-”

Veronica gently raised her hand, cutting her off.

“It’s ok, B, really. I’m just glad to help you. You both, I mean,” she stuttered. “I know how worried you’ve been for your sister, and if I can do anything to alleviate some of that, I’ll do it.”

A warmth spread through Betty. Veronica liked to present herself to the world as hard and prickly. Someone not to mess with, or suffer the consequences. And while there was some truth to that, Betty also knew that Veronica could be soft and kind. Someone whose shoulder you could cry on, lend an ear when you just needed to vent, or just sit with you, to let you know you aren’t alone. Betty could appreciate the duality of it. She was all too familiar with presenting the world one side, while hiding another. She felt safe that Veronica knew about her darkness, and didn’t fear her or run away. If anything, she provided comfort to help her get through it. Solace.

They stood in comfortable silence for a few moments. Betty tamped down the anxiety bubbling in her gut, and mustered up the courage to say what she wanted to say.

“I know-” Her voice was hardly deafening, but in this quiet hallway, it felt like she had just screamed. She spoke more softly when she continued. “I know, we haven’t been able to spend much time together recently. What with me helping my sister, and investigating Jason’s murder. And you are busy with your own family problems, and comforting Cheryl…”

Betty tried not to let the bitterness show when she mentioned Cheryl, but she supposed it came through because Veronica couldn’t help but smirk at her.

“Why Elizabeth Cooper. Are you jealous?” Veronica teased. “Cheryl and I are hardly what you would call ‘best buds.’ And I’m sure Josie would have some words for me otherwise.”

“Sorry,” Betty muttered. “I didn’t mean it like that, and I know you’re just being a good-- wait, Cheryl and Joise? Really?” Veronica raised an eyebrow. “Right, anyway. I just mean, I know we haven’t been able be around each other much, and I just wanted to try and hang out more.”

“Well,” Veronica hummed. “I don’t want you to cause any trouble for your investigating with Jughead.” This time, it was Veronica who said someone’s name with a hint of bitterness. Betty’s eyebrows shot up in surprise, and her lips quirked.

“Wait, are  _ you _ jealous?”

Veronica turned her nose up and scoffed. 

“Of Jughead? Hardly.”

Betty grew a sly grin. 

“Juggie and I are only working on the Blue and Gold to solve Jason’s murder. Nothing more.” She took a step forward. Without knowing it, they had drifted closer to each other, and now were only a foot apart. “I believe we promised each other that no boy would come between us.”

“We did, yeah,” Veronica breathed out. She finally noticed the lack of distance between them. She reached up to push back a loose strand of hair behind Betty’s ear, causing the blond’s breath to hitch. Her fingertips lightly traced down Betty’s arm until she reached her hand, just barely touching.

Betty found the courage to take Veronica’s hand and intertwine their fingers. She rubbed soft circles over the Lodge girl’s knuckles with her thumb. Her heart was thundering in her chest, and she noticed Veronica’s eyes flicked down to her lips and back up, causing her to do the same.

“Ronnie?” she whispered. Betty licked her lips unconsciously.

“Yeah?” Veronica leaned in a little, whether to hear her better or something else, Betty wasn’t sure.

“Do you still think about that kiss?”

Their breaths were mingling now. Their noses brushed against each other.

“All the time.” 

They were so close that Veronica’s lips tickled against Betty’s when she answered. Betty finally closed the gap, proving to herself that she was ok with this, that she  _ wanted _ this. Veronica gasped against her mouth, as their lips danced with each other in a slow, tender caress.

The kiss was soft; delicate. Nothing like their ‘first’ kiss. That was for an audience. To tantalize and shock. This kiss was just for each other. Full of love and want. 

Betty’s hands go around Veronica’s waist, pulling their bodies closer together. Veronica swipes her tongue on Betty’s bottom lip, as her hands move to cup Betty’s face. It never goes much further, both realizing that there is a guest to take care of.

After what feels like forever, but not nearly long enough for Betty’s liking, they break apart for much needed oxygen. Betty rests their foreheads together, her eyes still closed in bliss.

“Guess you’ll really have to make an effort now to hang out,” Veronica murmurs.

Betty huffed out a laugh through her nose. Her eyes flutter open to see Veronica staring back at her, gaze filled with affection.

“Well,” Betty drawls out. “My sister is hiding out here. So, I guess I can see fit to come over every so often to check up on her. And whoever else may be around.”

Her tone is teasing, but her face is nothing but loving. Veronica hums in contentment before going back in, both smiling into their second kiss.

Outside, there is a murderer; police and parents looking for Polly; stifling pressure to be the ‘perfect’ daughter.

But right here, right now? Betty forgets all that.

Right now, Betty felt nothing but safe.

**Author's Note:**

> I hoped this would be quick to write, but with everything I do, I delved into it deeper than I planned. Hope you all enjoyed it!
> 
> Kudos/comments are always appreciated.


End file.
